The argument to stonewall raising the debt ceiling in order to negotiate spending cuts is spurious (“Biden, McCarthy to meet, discuss debt ceiling at White House,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 1).

What Jim McDiarmid so cavalierly described as government waste is, to someone else, a food budget (“In debt-ceiling fight, GOP eyes spending cuts,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 1). Not everyone can go without a paycheck, but if the government shuts down, that’s what happens. Checks do not go out.

Raising the debt ceiling limit is about paying money owed. During the previous administration, the debt ceiling was raised three times. Much of that debt was due to pandemic relief while simultaneously lowering the tax base on higher incomes, resulting in less money coming in.

The most efficient way to resolve the issue is to bring the tax base back to what it was just a few years ago.

Negotiate spending going forward, not after the fact. Congress spent the money; now it has to pony up. Many screaming the loudest to negotiate spending cuts were in office when that spending took place. Where was their outrage then?

Kathy Harter

Downtown Honolulu

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